


Take a Bow

by Gyrogane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Season 5 Spoilers, i think
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-26 00:59:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13846728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gyrogane/pseuds/Gyrogane
Summary: In Keith's defense, if that one Galra hadn’t ducked when he chucked the torch at her face he wouldn’t be in this mess.In Lance's defense, his crush just became an Emperor. Talk about unattainable goals.





	1. Chapter 1

 

       It happens on accident. Really. Keith has just lost his weapon. He’s defenseless and open to an attack. His instincts kick in and he reaches for anything that will make a suitable weapon to defend himself with. A large metal pipe with a burning flame at the end makes a perfect weapon. In his defence, if that one galra hadn’t ducked when he chucked it at her head he wouldn’t be in the mess.  

       Keith doesn’t watch the trajectory of the burning torch he just threw. He was of course in the middle of a fight, so he doesn’t notice it clatter into what must have been some sort of pool and suddenly the statue a the top of the stairs is lit and Lotor is glaring at him like he wants him dead. 

“That can’t be valid.” Lotor mutters in disbelief before Sendak begins attacking him once more.

       If  Keith had understood anything about how the galra chose an emperor he might have realized that Lotor did in fact want him dead, but he doesn't notice any of this. 

       The galra Keith is fighting seems even more desperate to kill him now and perhaps she would have been successful if a shot had not taken the blade from her hands. Keith takes advantage of her stunned surprise to launch himself knee first into her face. 

        One she is on the ground he quickly assessed the situation to counter his next attacker when he realizes that all attacks have stopped. He stares at the galra who helped him only for a moment before realizing that suddenly everything is very quiet. Too quiet, considering they were in the middle of a battle. Fighting among the present galra had stopped and they all seemed to be gaping at Keith mid-blow.

       It takes him only a moment to realize that everyone in the vicinity is staring not at him but behind him. The distant sound of explosions far in the planet's atmosphere is the only sound to be heard. Keith glances behind him as a galra elder bows before beginning to speak. 

       “The flame is lit.” he says “Bow to your emperor.”

Well Shit.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written at 4 am. I have no regrets other than I'm sorry it's so short.  
> I will add more at a more reasonable time. I have big plans!  
> I've been lurking forever but season 5 set me on fire so I had to contribute this sloppy bit of writing.  
> [come shout at me on tumblr](https://my-sun-hunk.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

“Bow to your emperor.”

 

       “What did you just say?” Keith croaks out despite having clearly heard the words uttered. Keith looks around, trying to make sense of the situations. He doesn’t have much time to dwell on it though. Sendak has suddenly decided he’d much rather be attacking Keith.

       Keith leaps aside as Sendak’s lifts his weapon to take aim and fire. The steps around him are exploding as Keith struggles to avoid the shots aimed at him. The explosions from above seem to grow in intensity and for the briefest moment the attacks on keith stop and he takes his opportunity. He takes a running leap, draws his blade and prepares to strike Sendak a fatal blow.

       Sendak however quickly loses focus on whatever has drawn his attention upward. Using his enhanced arm he rips the concrete right of the ground and hurdles it at an incoming Keith.

       Instead of letting it hit him dead on Keith is engulfed by dust and rubble as Sendak makes his escape. Keith lands on his feet and quickly glances around, just in case someone else decides to attack him. He quickly notices Lotor is staring at him intensely, the black bayard gripped tightly in his hand. Whatever Lotor is thinking he doesn’t get to act on it as Voltron lands behind the flame Keith has accidentally lit. The Archivist is still on the floor, though is head is raised up as he had been watching the fight. When he notices Keith staring at him he once again bows his head.

       “What did he mean?” Keith asks, still gasping from the strain of battle. Lotor doesn’t respond. Instead he stalks up the steps towards the archivist, fury written in every motion. Keith is left at the bottom of the step, uncertain of what action to take next. When he spots the Galra leadership that has stayed to the witness the ceremony to the bitter end he grows nervous.  At the top of the stairs Voltron has disassembled but the paladins remain in their lions. Surrounding Lotor and the archivist, ready to attack if need be.

       Now that the fighting seemed to be over Keith’s mind is finally able to process what was going on and none of it makes any sense. He’s suddenly flanked by his Blade comrades, both who seem to be protecting him.

       “What’s going on?” he asks and finally it’s Llun who responds.

       “You lit the flame.” She intones "According to the Archivist you are now Emperor." Keith’s mind is racing because there's no way he’s just accidentally became leader of the empire he’s trying so hard to destabilize.

       “I don’t want to be Emperor!” Keith frantically whispers to her, as if she could do anything about the situation now.

       “Then perhaps you should have followed orders!” She quietly snaps at him from behind her mask. “Then there would be no empire to rule!”

       Keith’s hand tightens around the blade he’d forgotten he was holding. Her words sting but they are also true. If he had let all the explosions go off like they were meant to then the flame and everyone here would have been wiped out. He’d let his emotions get the best of him again. Except...

       “Why did you come back for me?” Keith asks them and Llun scoffs.

       “Don’t accuse me off sentimentality.” She says. “The missions comes first and since you compromised it with your human emotions I’m forced to salvage the situation as best I see fit.”

       Keith recalls her leaving him to die in the explosion and believes her.

       “Now go up those steps and defend you claim.” Vrek mutters darkly “No one here wants to see Lotor rule.”

       Keith numbly follows his directions and begins to walk up to the archivist with as much dignity as he is able to muster. Lotor has only just reached the archivist and he seems to be giving him a quiet earful when he elder cuts him off.

       “Enough.” The archivist commands loudly. “The flame has been and lit. Bow before your new emperor or challenge him. Either way you will honor and follow our traditions. As will you all if you are true and honorable Galra!”

       Keith is only half way up he steps when the Archivist gives his speech and he suddenly freezes, expecting to be attacked again.

       “He is human!” A Galra below him roars. “He is not a valid candidate!” Secretly Keith agrees with him, but they are silenced my a voice radiating from, of all places, the blue lion.

       “He is half Galra!” Allura suddenly announces loudly. “He is a former paladin of Voltron and a worthy leader by virtue of his piloting of the black lion. He is the emperor that Voltron acknowledges!”

       Keith shuts his eyes tightly, wishing that when he opened them again this whole mess would be gone. It isn’t. Instead Lotor is glaring daggers at him and when he turns he realizes that the sound of movement behind him was the sound of several Galra shuffling to kneel before him. Keith feels bile and some unnamed emotion try to claw its way up his throat. It’s all too much. This is a terrible mistake. He’s not a leader, he hated leading voltron, now they want him to rule an entire empire. All because a stupid stupid mistake he’d made in the heat of battle. Keith looks back up at the flame and suddenly he wishes he had never picked up that damn torch. He should have just let that Galra finish him off.

       It’s only after every other galra present bows that lotor finally falls to one knee. He glares shrewdly at Keith the entire time. Inside their respective lions all the paladins are reeling from the shock of it all. Pidge and Hunk are shouting at each other through the coms because really, what the fuck just happen?! Allura hopes she’s done the right thing by endorsing Keith and Shiro is upset that Allura has interfered.

       Lance is so proud. His emotions are a convoluted mix of surprise and happiness. There's a very high dose of pettiness there too as he laughs at the sight of Lotor bowing to Keith. In the back of his mind he’s worried about Keith’s safety and all Lance wants to do is drag him back into the red lion where they could both keep him safe. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh wow I didn't think so many of you would like this! I'm going to try to update next week maybe sooner if I find the time!  
> I don't know how I feel about Lotor. Does anyone remember how he ganked Narti?!! I'm just saying. I'm reserving judgment till season 6 at least. So his intentions in his fic are going to be super murky till the very end.
> 
> Anyways hope you liked this little bit. All chapters will probably be short but frequent! so long as it all goes to plan!!!!
> 
> Tune in next week! Kolivan time!!!!


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